A short introduction to the Climate Emergency

Carbon dioxide (a.k.a. CO2) and other so called “greenhouse gasses” act like a transparent blanket in the atmosphere, allowing sunlight in, but trapping warmth at night.  The metaphorical thickness of the blanket is described by the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere – or the CO2 equivalent.  Before humans started releasing CO2, by clearing large areas of vegetation and burning the ancient stored carbon from fossil fuels, the concentration of CO2 was around 270 ppm.  It reached 350 ppm circa 1987 when there was still time for a well designed global ETS to work. Rates of burning fossil fuels and deforestation continued to grow for 22 more years and we now find ourselves in the midst of a silent crisis. At the end of 2009 the CO2 concentration (in Hawaii) was a little over 387 ppm – and rising fast.